Amendments Planned For Japanese Patent Law

Japan's Patent Office plans to submit an amendment to the country'spatent law so that it can raise the maximum amount of fines for companies infringing rights from 5 million yen to 100 million yen ($860,070) or more, according to agency officials.

The move will help motivate domestic companies to invest in R&D, they noted. The amendment will be submitted in a regular Diet (parliament) session to be convened next January, the officials told the Kyodo News Service.

The Patent Office is also considering reviewing the formula for assessing damages paid by companies infringing on patent rights to pave the way for patent-right holders to seek higher damages in civil law suits, Kyodo News reported.